Peruvian government seeks to legalize medical cannabis

Peru could become the latest country to legalize medical cannabis if a bill proposed by the nation’s president is approved by the legislature.

President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski decided to back the move after a raid in the capital city of Lima unveiled a group of parents growing cannabis so they could produce oils with which to treat children suffering from epilepsy and other ailments, according to Telesur.

The likelihood of the bill meeting with success seems small, however, given that the legislature is controlled by the president’s archrival, who lost the presidential election by a razor-thin margin. And the controlling Popular Force party in the legislature is conservative, meaning members may be opposed to any loosening of cannabis laws.

Even if the bill is successful, recreational marijuana would still be banned, meaning the nation won’t be following in Uruguay’s footsteps anytime soon.

Other Latin American countries that have legalized medical marijuana include Chile and Colombia. Brazil also allows for non-psychoactive cannabis products, such as CBD oil.